Mizoram opposition youth decries Enquiry Commission report on NIAS

Aizawl (zoramobserver.com): Refusing to accept the Enquiry Commission report into the controversial issue of sending 32 Mizoram students to the alleged Kolkata based institution, youth activists of opposition Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) on Thursday burned the copy of Mizoram government notification that highlighted the finding of enquiry commission which stated that former labour and employment minister Lalrinmawia Ralte and former Mizoram Youth Commission chairman T. Sangkunga have no direct involvement in sending 32 students to the Nalanda Institute of Advance Studies (NIAS) in Kolkata.

Activist of ZNP and MPC youths burning the copy of Mizoram government notification on 20 July

Earlier in February this year, Ralte and Sangkunga had resigned as labour minister and chairman of Mizoram Youth Commission respectively, in the wake of allegation that they were responsible for sending the students to the Kolkata based fake institution and misusing public money.

The notification issued by the deputy secretary to the government of Mizoram on Monday, said that the Enquiry Commission found no direct involvement of Ralte and Sangkuna in sending the 32 students to the NIAS.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference here on Thursday, ZNP youth wing president Lalmuanpuia Punte while lambasting the finding of Enquiry Commission said that the declaration that Ralte and Sangkuna were not directly involved in sending the students was ‘unacceptable.”

“We did not demand their resignation for their direct involvement in sending the 32 students to THE fake institution, but owing to their moral responsibility,” Punte told the press conference.

Punte said that we rather demand their resignation due to several reasons- for sending the students without verifying the credibility of the institution; for not addressing the problems faced by the students as they have been sent to fake institution; for clearing all the three –year course fees amounting to Rs.128.20 lakh in a single installment right after signing of MoU and for misusing Labour Welfare Board Fund.

He said that even opposition MNF demanded the resignation of Ralte, who was also chairman of Mizoram Building and Other Construction Worker Welfare Board (MBOCWWB) and T. Sangkuna as they were held responsible for the plight of students who were sent to NIAS to study a bachelor course in hotel management.

He added that the finding of Enquiry Commission that stated that Ralte and Sangkunga has no direct involvement in sending the students to fake institution was an “embarrassment.”

Backing the Mizo Zirlai Pawl over Mizoram’s MBBS quota row, Punte also slammed the government for inclusion of four Chakma students under category-I.

He said that the government, before selecting the students, should have first identify Chakma students whether they are illegal immigrants or resident of Mizoram.

Punte also slammed the government for bringing four Chakma students to counselling venue under police escort on Thursday and alleged that it was an outright attempt on the part of the state government to allot seats to Chakma students.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.